New to me M that won't start

rnccen

New member
Have an M presently sitting on a trailer turns over but won't start, I had to winch it onto the trailer.

Fuel new good flow.
Carb no leaks, farily clean, good suction at intake
New battery 650CA
12V system (prior owner converted), cleaned ground
new plugs autolite 386 gap .025
Distributor sparks, gap .013,
Plug wires from cap to plugs correct

Here is where I think the timing may be off as when I pulled the plugs loosely put #1 back in and rotate engine to where it's on compression and you can hear the air, the distributor rotor is pointing to where plug 2 wire would be (looking at the end of the cap approx 11 o'clock not where plug 1 wire is at 1 o'clock).

Can anyone opine or perhaps provide some insight?

Thanks in advance.
 
From your description, it sounds like the distributor has been removed then reinstalled in the wrong place. Try moving the #1 wire to the position the rotor is pointing at. Then place the rest clockwise around the cap in the order 3 - 4 - 2. If that was your problem, this should get it to start.
 
Gary Dotson":1qpqxjx1 said:
Magneto or battery ignition? Point gap: magneto .013”, battery ignition .020”
If your M has a mag and it functions like the J4 mag on a cub the rotor and pinion gear has to be in time also. JMHO Stan
 
Gary Dotson":7p58i7zr said:
Magneto or battery ignition? Point gap: magneto .013”, battery ignition .020”

Thank you, was not aware of the difference, it has a battery ignition, so I'll have to adjust the gap also.
 
Jim Becker":1kh39zts said:
From your description, it sounds like the distributor has been removed then reinstalled in the wrong place. Try moving the #1 wire to the position the rotor is pointing at. Then place the rest clockwise around the cap in the order 3 - 4 - 2. If that was your problem, this should get it to start.

Thank you, I'll try that and see what it does.
 
Ok moved the plug wires as noted prior, started with some hesitation, though I noticed that fuel was coming out of the intake and also at the seam where the idle plate is on the carb. I screwed in the main jet screw, did not seem to make much difference regarding the excess fuel into the intake?
 
Take a look at your choke mechanism and linkage. Make sure it is opening and closing properly. A little lubrication may help.
 
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